My heart bleeds on paper

CHAPTER THREE

DAY 16

'I need to see a therapist; I desperately need to see a therapist' I think to myself as I sit at my work office trying to edit my photos

How can it be that a man whose name I do not want to remember all of a sudden starts making appearance in my thoughts, I shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus on work, hopefully this particular piece will appeal to my boss, I admit my work has been lacking some spirit or flair for a while now and my boss has noticed it and has queried me a lot for it, hopefully this will show him that I've still got that flair and possibly the rest of the project he gave me to work on we have month left for the display and the deadlines to submit our work is next week and honestly I am not impressed with myself

It's closing time and I pack my stuffs and carry myself to my usual spot and I am partly hoping that I might eat with the presence of the man I am indifferent with but thankful I have

I sit at my table and five minutes after he shows, I look at him as a way of acknowledging his presence he just smiles and I look down immediately while we wait for the waiter – personally I don't know why they don't teach the new waiters or waitress my order, it's not like I'm going to change it

"how was your day at work?" he asks me and I nod to tell him it was okay, honestly how he still tries to strike a conversation with me especially when he knows that I won't speak a word of reply intrigues me. I mean... how can one be so persistent and possibly hopeful? I don't even know.

"ordering the same thing today are we?" I look up at him and look back down

"I will take that as a yes, so I want to know... will you tell me your name today?" and for some reason I could not help myself from smiling

"di..did you just smile?" he asks slowly and astonishingly

"oh my goodness, you smiled, are you fucking kidding me, you smiled?" let me kuku give you gong so you can beat around the neighbourhood and announce it, I thought to myself irritated

"you rolled your eyes! today is my lucky day, it just has to be" I did not know I rolled my eyes; must have happened when his yelling irritated me

And then our food came, we ate in silence but this man's eyes kept making annoying noises, keep your damn eyes glued to your food please he would not hear my thoughts so I decided to use my words but when I looked up to talk he wasn't looking at me, he seems focused on his food and I just could not stop looking at him, the dimming day light giving him a picture perfect glow and at that my moment my mouth worked before my brain

"will you be busy tomorrow?" and that was how he choked on his food, next time order Jollof rice instead of Ogbono soup and Eba

I hand him my glass of water since he did not order any, he reluctantly takes it from me and drinks

"were you talking to me?" I tightly nodded my head to his question

"what did you say?" he asks; I know he heard me he just wants me to repeat myself

"will you be busy tomorrow?"

"what time?"

"tomorrow is Saturday so the entire day"

"you want my entire day?"

"if you can give it yes"

"okay"

"thank y – "not so fast young lady" I raise my brow

"grant me ten wishes"

"normally people ask for three"

"my name is not people"

"is it greedy then?" he looks at me crazy

"says the person who has hardly ever spoken to me but does so because she wants something from me"